Letter from Jane Adamthwaite,daughter of
Edmund and Ann, to her brother, Joseph, in Australia (1st
page missing)
…We do not
hear much from them. I think they are not doing so well.
Dear Joseph, you talk about giving up the
diggings. True, you have had a good try at them and yet you
have laid out a deal of money. We think if you have your health
you had better try a little longer, but Joseph, you know best.
Sister Ann has been at Winton. She has
stayed three weeks. She has gone very stout. Little Ann is
waiting of Mother to go at the weekend and often in the middle
of the week.
I am glad to say that I am stronger than I
was once and my (illegible) is quite better, or else I
was in bad strife for a long time.
They are all well at Butterscarfe ??(transcribing
???) and send kind love to
both of you. I think they are much the same at Musgrave. They
are all anxious to hear from you and how you are getting on.
Mother has lots of visitors when she gets a letter from you.
Though you have been away a long time your old friends never
seem to lose their affection towards you.
When you write you must tell me whether I am
very altered since you left. I was but a child then and very
ill-natured, but I have more sense now.
You must please write every month to Mother,
and I will do the same to you. Poor old thing. Her time cannot
be long in this world if she should get out again.
When you get the address to Kit will you send
them to me. We should like to hear from him. Mother sends her
kindest love to you both and all the rest. So now, my dear
brother and sister I beg leave to conclude with kind love to all
of you. You may look for a letter by the middle of March from
me
I remain
Your affectionate sister
Jane Adamthwaite
Across the written page “If the socks are not
very shapely you must excuse me for I have never knitted any
before”.
From Kirkby Stephen
Letter to Emma
Adamthwaite ( nee Smith) newly married in Australia to Joseph
Adamthwaite from Ann Adamthwaite (nee Stout) Joseph’s mother.
Winton (Eng)
September 13th 1864
My Dear Daughter,
If you find anything in these lines improperly
written I beg you will excuse it, as coming from the hand of a
loving parent relating to a dear and dutiful son.
I received your portrait and the letter a few
days after. You both tell me you are happy, and I do assure you my
dear Emma it adds greatly to my comfort in my declining years. It
gives me great pleasure to find that his affections have centred on
an object so worthy of his esteem.
I hope you will make it your study to instil into
your hearts the duty to both God and Man knowing that this is the
only solid foundation for the discharge of domestic duties.
He was my youngest son and I do assure you he was
a great consolation to me. I anxiously watched over him in
childhood as an opening bud of promise. Though we have been parted
for nine years he is ever in my mind and I have recommended him to
the care of God whose eyes behold all His creatures and will reward
according to their merit.
Before he came to Australia he resided constantly
with me and his conduct to me and everyone that he had connections
with has more than justified my most ardent wishes.
My health has begun to fail. I am above seventy
years of age, so my dear Daughter my time in this world will not be
long. Excuse the partiality of a Mother when I tell you as my real
opinion you have placed your affections on a worthy young man.
His good qualities have endeared him to all his friends. It would
still add more to my comfort to hear of Christopher getting married.
I have one thing to ask you. Will you let me
hear from you once a month as it is a great comfort to hear from
those we cannot see. And since we are parted on Earth let us strive
to meet in Heaven. So now my dear daughter I bid adieu to you
both. Believe me to be a loving Mother,
Ann Adamthwaite.
NOTE:
Joseph’s father Edmund Adamthwaite had died in 1855, just a year
after Joseph had sailed to Australia on the ‘Star of the East’. His
mother Ann died in 1869. And sadly, Ann's son Christopher died
in 1864 out in Australia, the year Ann wrote the above letter.
